The First Art Exhibition of its Kind to Tour Ohio and Kentucky Hospitals

To Thank and Honor Our Wounded Healers

March 31, 2022 (Columbus, OH) — Ohio contemporary glass artist Terri Albanese has teamed up with Ohio and Kentucky hospitals and their communities to give back to the essential healthcare workers who have given so selflessly throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. A Garden of Gratitude—Thanking Our Wounded Healers and Healing Our Communities is the first exhibition of its kind to tour hospitals and recognize the courage of our wounded healers. The exhibition opened on March 16, 2022, at Mount Carmel East Hospital, Columbus, Ohio.

Albanese is a passionate and spirited professional artist who recognizes the connection between art and healing— and when combined with gratitude, the reward grows. She creates glass paintings to awaken emotions within us, emotions that inspire hope and help bring healing– especially during times of uncertainty. A Garden of Gratitude features 17 original glass paintings of vibrant flowers that symbolize the heart and spirit of our hospital workers. These works will honor the gifts they have shared with us all—resilience, inner strength, hope, courage, compassion, and dedication.

“This is more than an exhibition. This is a thank you to those who chose to be on the frontlines in our hospitals, while we were safe within our homes; those who were away from their families, while caring for ours; those who held the hands of our loved ones, when we could not. This is an invitation for them to stop for a moment, and take a breath—while they are still in the midst of the fire,” explains Albanese. “Because of the powerful impact healthcare workers have had on our communities, we have made it possible for people to go to AGardenofGratitude.com to share their stories and honor those who have touched their lives during the pandemic,” Albanese added.

The exhibition opened March 16, 2022, at Mount Carmel East Hospital, Columbus, Ohio; and travels to University Hospitals-Cleveland, Cleveland, Ohio; University of Kentucky Chandler Hospital, Lexington, Kentucky; and ends April 2023 at McLaren St. Luke’s Hospital, Maumee, Ohio. The exhibition is free to the public; please call first to confirm COVID visitor policy.

Deanna Stewart, President, Mount Carmel Foundation said, The COVID-19 pandemic changed the world as we know it for everyone, especially our healthcare workers. Mount Carmel’s own, have made enormous sacrifices to their well-being to care for their patients. And it has taken a toll—physically, mentally and emotionally—on our staff. The Garden of Gratitude exhibit provides a space for our healthcare workers to reflect, rest and re-charge after eighteen months of selfless commitment to provide extraordinary care to every patient.”

Although we’ll never fully understand the physical, emotional, and mental toll the pandemic has placed upon our healthcare workers, this exhibition is a way for our communities to come together and say thank you. “CHF builds bridges that connect artists with their communities. We are thrilled to be a part of this exhibition and celebrate the growth of a project that Terri initiated as a CHF Art-Business Accelerator Fellow. It connects Terri with her community and brings healing to those who have courageously carried us through the pandemic,” said Elizabeth Hulings, Executive Director, The Clark Hulings Foundation.

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For information about A Garden of Gratitude, how to share your story, and help support this exhibition contact:
Terri Albanese, Glass Artist and Creator of A Garden of Gratitude
614-781-1141, Terri@TerriAlbanese.com
https://AGardenofGratitude.com https://TerriAlbanese.com
Instagram.com/TerriAlbanese
About Terri Albanese
Native to Columbus, Ohio, Albanese trained at the Columbus College of Art and Design, earning a BFA in graphic design. After finding inspiration in the breathtaking mosaics of Italy, she chose to further her education at the Miami Mosaic Academy in Florida. Here she embarked on a new creative direction, a fresh and truly unique style that would emulate her illustration style and give her the freedom to “paint with glass.” Her creativity is driven by inspiration—inspiration she finds in the strength of the human spirit, in her faith and in the splendor of a garden. Albanese was selected as Ohio’s Spotlight Artist, by Ohio’s First Lady Karen Kasich and the Ohio Arts Council, and is a Clark Hulings Foundation Art Business Accelerator Fellow. Her glass paintings can be found in private and corporate collections throughout the United States, Hong Kong, and Israel.